Post 195 in Lugoff provided Doby’s Mill Elementary with a monetary donation and copies of American Legion youth comic books on flag etiquette.
Larry Jeffers American Legion Post 195 in Lugoff, S.C., recently supported two pillars of the organization through donations to a local elementary – Americanism and Children & Youth.
The post provided a $1,500 donation to Doby’s Mill Elementary, along with a POW/MIA bag filled with flag stickers and rulers, and the American Legion youth comic books “Our Country’s Flag” and “I Pledge Allegiance.” Auxiliary Unit 195 members provided the school with poppies and a narrative of the significance of the poppy.
The monetary donation was to support the school’s efforts in teaching youth life skills such as table manners and etiquette. The original request from Doby’s Mill Elementary to Post 195 members was $500 to provide a field trip for 30 students to a local restaurant where the students could practice these skills. Post and and Auxiliary Unit 195 decided to increase this amount to $1,500.
Post 195 Commander Ruppert Baird said that teaching youth basic life lessons such as how to greet people, shake hands, and table and meal etiquette is important. “We felt that by becoming sponsors and supporting this program would be a small contribution to help these kids to be better citizens and patriots.”
Legion Family members also have volunteered to provide additional classroom instruction on life skills as needed.
Post 195 is a longtime supporter of Kershaw County schools, youth sports and programs, Baird said. The post has supported high school baseball, cross country, JROTC, junior varsity football, marksmanship, rugby and softball, as well as Legion softball and recreational baseball and softball.
“We are committed to our community in all forms,” Baird said. “We support veterans, children and youth, and our first responders too. Our children are the future of this nation, and we must instill in them a feeling of Americanism and pride for this country if it is to survive.
“We veterans swore to uphold and defend the Constitution, and there is no better way than to teach the kids what this means and what the Constitution is.”
- Youth